NQM Format Update – BMXNZ

The management of NQMs is always a balancing act of need, event placement & timing. Then there is the admin side of report delivery & confirmation of data within a small window prior to the Nationals. Add in dispensations & the collection of any payments.

So with this in mind, BMXNZ has reviewed the NQM process and has decided to alter the window of NQM allocation from season based to calendar year based. This gives riders a full year to acquire NQMs & then BMXNZ has 3-4mths to tidy up the admin prior to Nationals.

WHY HAVE NQMs

BMX is one of the only sports where you can self nominate to participate in the sports National Championships. Most other sports participants need to be selected by their club or through results driven criteria. So with the sport self-nominating format, the only check process BMXNZ puts in place is one based around experience of racing & understanding of eventing. The NQM process, requires the riders an absolute minimum number of race meetings they must attend & complete, before they are eligible to attend a Nationals Event. BMXNZ actually want riders to do more than the bare minimum, as with more racing comes with more experience & understanding of the processes of an event. To have people learning how to navigate an event at Nationals is unacceptable. The delays & issues this creates is unfair for other participants and the volunteers running the event. BMXNZ recommend that riders do as many NQMs prior to going to Nationals, you will be better off for it. This new process will in the end allow more time to gain NQMs & more space where clubs can place & hold NQM meetings.

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EXISTING SEASONAL FORMAT

NQMs are allotted to events for the season September to February/March. A month is left out prior to Nationals to allow for admin.

Benefits

1. Sport understand that they need NQMs from that ‘season’ to get to the Nationals at the end of the season.
2. New members in January can cram NQMs to go to Nationals (good for the individual not for sport)
3. After Nationals people can walk away from BMX & do winter sport (good for the individual not for sport)

Disadvantages

1. Close off a month out, adds a lot of admin in a small space of time prior to Nationals
2. Creates a dead space of events prior to NATs that are not NQMs, so don’t attract numbers or good racing
3. Nationals entries can & have closed prior to final NQM being run, hindering admin processes.
4. Clumps of NQM meets fighting over weekends for riders to attend.
5. Newer members in January cram NQMs to go to Nationals (good for the individual not for sport)
6. Part of the issue of Season vs. Licence Year confusion
7. Rush to get dispensations when NATs entries open.

NEW ANNUAL NQM FORMAT

The key to this new format is that NQM are counted from the calendar year Jan to Dec and these are used for the next Nationals in the following year. For example 2017 NQMs are qualifiers for the 2018 Nationals. NQM are allotted to events for the season as they are done now, but can now be spaced out more, as the NQMs now don’t need to cater for the Nationals within the NQM calendar year window.

Benefits

1. Opens up a more even allocation of NQMs throughout the season.
2. Creates good racing right up to Nationals
3. BMXNZ can deliver to the sport the final NQM qualifications for Nationals in January. Admin can fix any problems or issue dispensations prior to entries opening for Nationals.
4. Removes the rush prior to NATs
5. With similar NQM event numbers, rider will have more time to complete the NQM requirement.
6. Newer riders from January, will need to run the whole year prior to entering Nationals, (some riders may see this as a disadvantage)

Disadvantages

1. Sport will need to re-learn the process.
2. New members in January will not be able to enter National till the following season (good for sport)
3. Nationals is not the end of the perceived season.

SUMMARY

The format we run now is based on the idea that the ‘season’ is the driver to complete the sport in. As the sport seems to have gotten more complex over the years, the need to cram these events in to what seems to be a small season, makes for continuous weekends on the road chasing NQMs and clubs fighting over weekends & entries to make their events viable.

To change the format to an ‘calendar year’ based catchment for NQMs. We would remove the stress of cramming and give more time to acquire NQMs. Then BMXNZ have the time to close off the process and advise the sport their NQM status early.

Accepting change is going to be the biggest hurdle for the sport. But the benefits note above far out weigh the disadvantages that can been see at this point.

BMXNZ will instigate this change as of August 2017. We will reformulate our systems to the NEW calendar year

NQM process & then add in all the existing NQMs from January to July 2017. Then we will push ahead & start adding the August to December NQMs, so riders can use this to qualify for the 2018 Nationals.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail Dion at BMXNZ

Dion Earnest

dion@bmxnz.co.nz
0212707199

Download:

NQM Format Update Aug 2017
NQM INFO Letter Feb 2017

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